Belemaoil and its community development-minded founder/president, Jackrich Tein Jr, have taken their community projects to the northern part of Nigeria. He said this is in continued drive to bring succour to the people of host communities, Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large.
The leading indigenous oil producing company and operators of the NNPC/Belemaoil Joint Venture (JV) has thus commissioned water and road projects in northern parts of Nigeria. The projects were executed in Katsina, Bauchi, Gombe and Sokoto states under the NNPC/Belemaoil JV.
Speaking at the commissioning of the projects, President/Founder of Belemaoil Producing Ltd said the projects are a way of promoting oneness and unity in Nigeria as well as to better the lots of the people and give them a better lease of life.
Tein Jr said as someone who comes from a community that lacked potable water for hundreds of years, he understood the plights of the people of the communities who had to travel miles to get table water. He said, despite political differences and affiliations, that Nigeria remains one country and Nigerians must build bridges that promote love and oneness.
He said: “This gathering here today is as a result of our desire to share fellowship, to share oneness, a united country called Nigeria. Nigeria is one indivisible country that is centred on love irrespective of the political insinuations, affiliations and we must as a matter of fact build bridges that unite us. Political parties are platforms we use in showcasing our interests but when we get back to these political parties, Nigerians get back to us.
“We are here to demonstrate oneness; and we are here to demonstrate love. You here in the north and myself from the Niger Delta, are one. Every country, the U.S., UK, Europe, they all have their challenges but when you have a challenge what you do with that challenge draws you to solution. So, the challenges we are going through as Nigerians is to bring us together and design new ways of making Nigeria a better country.
“When my friend, Umar Kumo (PA on Special Duties to SGF) mentioned this project to me, I said what your community is facing is what my community is also going through. My community has been there for about 700 years with so much wealth in terms of natural resources and all that but lacked potable water. We drink from contaminated stagnant stream and well water sources that have been contaminated.
“He said to me, my community travels about 12 kilometres in search of water and I promised them that because NNPC loves community development, I will initiate the project and see how we can embark on them. We are happy that this project has come to a successful end and we are commissioning them today.”
The President/Founder of Belemaoil, thanked the NNPC and President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting the project and for granting the company the operatorship license of the OML-55, which has given the company opportunity to better the lots of many across the country. He, however, charged the people to guard the projects jealously and maintain them for the continued good of the people.
In his speech, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, represented by Tolulope Derin-Adefuwa, called on the people to make good use of the projects. He said NNPC embarks on community development projects through its partnerships for grassroots development.
He said: “We are partnering with Belemaoil JV to bring this project to us. It is our firm and strong belief on our part to support the communities nationwide and we do this through joint partnerships, we do this with our products sharing contract companies to deliver community development projects to the whole of Nigeria. We do economic empowerment programmes whereby we deploy relief materials to the IDP Camps, we do education programmes, we do scholarships and so many other projects which we believe will touch the lives of the citizens of Nigeria.”
High points of the ceremony were the Turbaning of the President/Founder of Belemaoil Producing Ltd as Sarkin Ruwan Hausa by the Emir of Daura, Umar Farouq Umar, in Katsina State and Sarkin Ruwan Akko, by the Emir of Akko, Gombe State, Umaru Muhammadu Atiku (Lamidon Akko), respectively.
Ignatius Chukwu
